I'm not sure where to post this. I posted last week about a recent cellulitus episode. I have been wrapping my leg since and the swelling is reducing. I noticed that the swelling in my left leg which is normally very mild has been worse this week. I slipped and fell on ice in a parking lot this past winter and twisted that ankle and since then the edema has been worse but not nearly as bad as my right. But is seems like the wrapping on my right leg is making the left leg swell more. I know lymph travels and I would lie to get it under control.

I called my therapist because I am out of elastomull and my artiflex needs to be replaced. I also went to the medical place where I got my stockings. The receptionist said they don't care bandaging kits but she had a copy of the prescription the therapist had written for the kit and the compression stockings. My insurance, Tricare, allows me to get a replacement stocking once a year so I requested my replacement while I was there. She was supposed to call me back about the stocking and to see about the bandages. No phone call back and I left a message for the therapist. No phone call back from her either.

I went to Medical Depot but they don't carry the bandaging either. They suggested Lincare but they don't carry it. I feel frustrated right now. I think but I can't remember that the insurance paid for part of my bandages and I had to pay a portion when I got the original kit. If I buy it online, I'm afraid they won't bill the insurance. Any suggestions?

Thanks for the info. This makes me want to write a letter to my congressman. It just doen't seem right. I would say this falls in the category of durable medical equipment. As a human resources manager, I get questions about what's covered and what's not. I want to say I read an article the other day that the company has to write coverage into a plan. I think this had to do with bariatric surgery and mandating that it be done laser. I'm going to ask our United rep and see if I can't get it written into our plan at next renewal. Won't help me out because I'm not on the company insurance but it would be there for anybody else that needs it.

HI again Lymphlady and all,I have tricare prime and they have always covered 100% of my bandage supplies(now retired and I will be either a co pay or 20% of allowable cost) Did you call the tricare durable medical goods benefit section of tricare? They will give you a list of participating providers. YOu might need an rx...but not approval if the total cost is less than 2000.00 dollars(or something like that...they can tell you what the max price is that requires tricare approval) I can also tell you...I live in Northern Va and there was only ONE medical supply store that I could purchase my legacy sleeve from..mine was about 5 years old and needed to be replaced.

The man who ran that store was so incredibly rude to me and did not always return my calls....well long story short I had tricare call them as he would not code the sleeve probably and they also found him to be rude, curt and unprofessional....so guess what...I REFUSED to buy from him...so I am not the winner here...I still have no reid sleeve for my leg....GGRRR....I did call tricare back to report that I would NOT buy from him...so there you have it.

Thanks for the info Armywife. I called Tricare and they told me that if I get the codes for the bandages they can tell me whether it's covered or not. I went to the prosthetics place wher I get my stockings since they have the prescription on file. I asked if they could give me the codes so I could call Tricare back. They said that takes three or four days for them to get that info. Grrr....I am going on vacation Friday so I have been trying for a couple of weeks to get all this taken care of before I leave. Would hate to be out camping and have a real problem.

I called the therapist and finally got a call back today and she told me to call the prosthetic place which I had already done so she gave me one other place to call and they carry comprilan but not the other stuff. Can I just tell you how upset I am? I asked for a new compression stocking and they don't have the size I need in stock and it won't be in until I get back from vacation.

I don't know who to yell at. The therapist at University Hospital is out on maternity leave. So just getting anybody to call me back was a major undertaking. Sorry, I needed to vent. Guess I am going to have to go to the web and buy them online.

Waited to reply as I figured you would be on vacation. Hope you enjoyed yourself.

May I ask...are you still active duty?? I do not understand why you need codes for the bandages....mine have always been paid 100% of the time...when hubby was AD....I just took RX to durbale medical good store...no prior auth needed as the entire cost was under the dollar limit Tricare needed for pre authorizations.

I have yet to order new bandages....we are now retired...so will see how this goes. I actually am waiting on this, as next month I do have an appt with an lymphedema doctor in PA!! I am going to ask her about Farrow wraps...instead of all the short stretch bandages..... and will ask for new RX's for medivan stockings as well....My main reason for finally seeing a lymphedmea doctor( well one....did not even know they existed until i got on this list!! Thank you pat!!) but want to ask the implications of serous lymph leaking in my leg...and to ask what she thinks about me getting a tummy tuck done this fall...I am so back on the fence about this....

So anyway, hope you get all straightened out with tricare./.let us know!

Had a very nice vacation. Didn't go far. Just to get away for a few days.

I am medically retired from the Navy. When I had the therapy in 2006, the therapist ordered the bandaging kit and we used it throughout therapy. At the end of therapy I was sent to the durable medical place for stockings. I haven't had cellulitus since the therapy until now. For the most part I have been able to keep the swelling under control. If I need to bandage, I do. The bandages are getting worn though and just need to be replaced. With this last episode of cellulitus, I started wrapping again. I have the swelling under control again so I can wear the stocking. I went to the dme to get another stocking and also to find out about the bandages and to get another kit.

The person at the dme told me that they don't have the kits even though they have a copy of the prescription from the therapist. I called Tricare to find out if the bandages were covered if I bought them online since the dme didn't have them. They said if I had the codes they would be able to tell me if they were covered or not. I had to pay a portion of the stockings and seems to me that I had to pay for the bandages but I can't remember.

I did finally get a phone call back from the therapist and she said I should be able to get them from the dme. I told her the above and she gave me one other number to call. They have the compression stockings but no bandages.

I have to get another referral from the PCM for the therapist but maybe I'll have to take that route.